Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Dukhan Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Dukhan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,640 in Dukhan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,249 in Dukhan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,858 in Dukhan, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 48% cheaper than Dukhan, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Dukhan is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.4

$6.73 QAR 24.51

-69.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿626

$54.4 QAR 198

-65.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿263

$6.94 QAR 25.27

13.26%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.67 QAR 42.47

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.02 QAR 40.10

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.9

$5.00 QAR 18.22

-59.40%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 ฿26.71

$0.79 QAR 2.87

1.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.71

$0.33 QAR 1.21

6.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.8

$2.07 QAR 7.52

-16.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$1.62 QAR 5.89

-3.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.10

$2.11 QAR 7.69

-43.13%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿66.0

$2.57 QAR 9.35

-23.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿543

$11.72 QAR 42.68

38.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$7.60 QAR 27.65

-59.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$10.55 QAR 38.41

2.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.6

$2.03 QAR 7.40

36.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.05

$1.56 QAR 5.68

-25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.1

$1.56 QAR 5.69

9.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.3

$1.38 QAR 5.04

15.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.63

$1.02 QAR 3.73

36.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.67

$1.08 QAR 3.94

7.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.11

$1.33 QAR 4.84

-50.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.35

$0.46 QAR 1.67

13.04%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$10.26 QAR 37.33

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 QAR 6.63

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 QAR 10.57

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$6.51 QAR 23.68

-28.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿595

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿624

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.17

$2.14 QAR 7.80

-34.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.82

$2.17 QAR 7.88

-38.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$13.76 QAR 50.1

-41.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.27

$0.57 QAR 2.06

115.79%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.4K ฿717.0K

$22.4K QAR 81.6K

-4.33%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$21.8K ฿730.0K

$20.9K QAR 75.9K

4.61%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$71.3 ฿2,386

$93.9 QAR 342

-24.07%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$14.01 ฿469

$37.23 QAR 136

-62.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿600

$87.1 QAR 317

-79.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,365

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$12.31 QAR 44.80

-53.53%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$308 ฿10.3K

$789 QAR 2,873

-60.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿491.0K

$11.8K QAR 43.0K

24.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,865

$62.8 QAR 229

-11.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿871

$56.3 QAR 205

-53.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,837

$102 QAR 372

-17.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,375

$91.6 QAR 333

-22.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.2K

$1,388 QAR 5,052

-69.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,110

$908 QAR 3,306

-73.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.7K

$1,751 QAR 6,375

-54.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿17.0K

$1,139 QAR 4,148

-55.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿49.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$4,141 QAR 15.1K

-85.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.08

-17.76%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Dukhan: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $1,388 in Dukhan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 596% higher in Dukhan, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $54.0 in Dukhan. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $209 in Dukhan – so Dukhan wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Chiang Mai vs Dukhan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dukhan costs about 92% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,460 in Dukhan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $54.0 in Dukhan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 17% cheaper in Dukhan – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $852, than in Dukhan at $1,640. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dukhan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,640 in Dukhan. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Dukhan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.